A Priesthood Experience - Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

We got the Argyle children off to school and then packed up our belongings and stopped at our apartment to drop things off before heading to the office.

Being in Argentina eight months without good tasting orange juice was beginning to wear on Elder Kroff. The boxed orange juice sold in the grocery stores is more like an orange drink. Even the Tropicana brand doesn't taste like ours at home.

Rich has had his eye on this exprim-o (orange juicer) for several months. He has hinted and hinted about getting one. They cost around $65. I thought it would be a great Christmas present for him, but he couldn't wait. He was having major orange juice attacks. And so far it has been put to good use. It takes 5 oranges for both of us to have a glass. His glass is a little larger than mine (my choice), and it does taste refreshingly good. So, along with mandarinas that we purchase regularly, we are now buying two kilos of oranges at a time. They are amazingly cheap down here. Two kilos cost $1.50. So, before going to the office today, we took time for our morning "fix".

I planned to work only until 3:00 p.m. today. I so desperately needed a date with Javier to get my hair done (color and cut). It wasn't going to work out for Rich to come with me today, as he had to accompany the sisters to an appointment in Tigre at 6:00. He would have to leave home at 5:30 to get to on a bus and meet them as planned. We weren't sure if I would be through and back home by then. So I, again, was on my own to get to the appointment and get home. Too bad I am showing so much independence, because now I might be expected to do more without my chaperone. He really doesn't leave me very often, however.

Javier was not as busy as I imagined he would be today, so I was attended to rather quickly. When his assistant was finished with the color, then it was time for the hair cut. I told him it needed to be shorter all over --- and short it is! In about two weeks, it will be perfect.

He called me a remise, and while waiting for it to pick me up I ran next door to the dry cleaners to get a couple of items we dropped off a few days ago. My ride came and I was successful in telling him where I needed to go. I am rather proud of myself for all of my solo performances lately.

I could see that I just might make it home in time to go with Rich to the appointment in Tigre. I walked in the door five minutes before we needed to leave. Rich was on skype talking to Melissa and I quickly changed my clothes and grabbed my placa. Off we went to the bus stop.

The home we were going to has a teenage son (18) that the parents say is possessed by the Devil. A couple of days ago when the sisters contacted the mother and father outside their home, the father asked if they, or anyone in our church, could help cast this evil spirit out of him. He told them that ever since the boy's father died when he was very young, that he has wanted to get in contact with him. In doing this he has researched Satanic rituals and chosen to make this contact with his father through the "dark" side. They said that one night after coming home from the grave yard the son had changed and seemed different. They felt he was possessed with something bad, and that Satan had control of him.

The parents asked the sisters if they wanted to come in and meet him. They, of course, declined not knowing what kind of a situation they may find themselves in. They explained a little about the power of the priesthood in our church and that they could bring two brethren by to give their son a blessing.

The sisters called Elder Kroff and then asked the branch mission leader to find another brother to assist. So we all walked to their home and after being invited in they went to get their son. It was obvious when he walked into the room that he had a handicap. It was hard to tell if it was mental or physical at first. He wasn't able to speak very clearly (his mother would repeat what he would say) and he appeared a little dazed, but he understood what was going on. They explained what the priesthood is and that it has been restored to the earth, and that these brethren had the authority to make the bad feelings he had go away. Did he want that to happen? He said that he did.

Elder Kroff gave the prayer and basically blessed him that the bad feelings he had would leave and that they would be replaced with good feelings, and that he would be able to distinguish between a good spirit and a bad spirit. After the blessing, the sisters gave the lesson on the restoration and the Book of Mormon and left the book with the family. The boy seemed happy and said that he "wanted that, he wanted to read that book." The parents agreed to read it also and another appointment is set for the sisters to return on Saturday.

We all felt that if he would start reading the Book of Mormon and ponder on things about Christ that his direction in life would change. Let's hope so. There was a good spirit in the home when we left. It was wonderful to see the priesthood in action.